Emerging director Ven Gia has made his commercial debut with a story of grit and craftsmanship, undercut by typical Aussie larrikinism, for premium Australian whisky brand Corowa Distilling Co.

‘Made Here. By Us.’ tells the story of how the distillery was founded on the footy field, when three mates saw the potential of the town’s pure waters and abundant wheat fields. After purchasing a dilapidated flour mill for $1, they’ve since created some of the finest whisky in the country.

Says Gia: “Corowa Distilling Co. is competing with brands that have hundreds of years of history and whisky-making prestige behind them. Standing out meant telling their unique story in a way that would resonate with consumers no matter where they are in the world. That’s what excited me about this project; the chance to really define what it means to be an Australian-made whisky.”

Gia is an independent Australian filmmaker whose previous credits include his short film ‘Lovelost’, which had its world premiere at the 2018 Sydney Film Festival. This work led to a commercial offer from Corowa Distilling Co., which Gia shot entirely on-location in the country border town, with local residents (including the distillery’s managing director, head distiller, and mash boy) making up all of the on-screen talent.

Say Gia: “I wanted every element of the story to be as authentic as possible, and that extended to the casting. The only trouble we had was convincing a local priest to take part in an alcohol commercial… so we cast the former town mayor for that role instead.”

The commercial coincides with the second release from Corowa Distilling Co., its ‘Bosque Verde’ Single Malt port cask whisky.

Says Dean Druce, managing director, Corowa Distilling Co.: “Ven has managed to perfectly capture the spirit of our brand, and our town. We’re weren’t sure about stepping in front of the camera ourselves, but we bloody love the result.”

Corowa Distilling Co – “Made here. By us.” is currently being broadcast online. To get your own taste of Corowa, visit corowadistilling.com.au.